Sehwag, have some decency!
Fans were outraged by Sehwag’s offensive remark on Kohli and blasted the latter on social media
Arecent remark by Virender Sehwag from the commentary box about Virat Kohli has irked netizens and cricket fans, who have denounced it as being in poor taste, with some even demanding Sehwag’s removal from the commentary panel. During India’s Test match against England, Kohli had done a dance of exultation at the fall of an England wicket, and Sehwag had described the former Team India captain as a chamiya (bar dancer).
“An international platform is not a place to say such things in jest,” Suneeta Kanga, an Etiquette expert, avers. “Personally and privately a bit of teasing and joking is perfectly okay and acceptable in sports. But one has to be sensitive when everyone can hear you in the commentary box. Never a good idea to say anything that may be perceived negatively” she says.
Renowned Hindi cricket commentator Ravi Chaturvedi, who has travelled all over the world in the course of his career, believes that the problem stems from language. “You may be able to get away with sexist remarks in English. The same remark in any vernacular language can however, land you in jail,” he warns.
Problem stems from non-existent protocol for commentators. “What Sehwag said must be taken in a lighter vein,” feels former England cricket captain Nasser Hussain. “He should be cautioned
about the need to maintain a degree of decency in his comments. We as a nation are very emotional and not given to moderation. Let us be mature in passing judgement. Caution would meet the end of justice,” he adds.
Another Hindi commentator, Sushil Doshi, who has been in this profession for five decades, says, “Sehwag seems to be a witty man. However, a commentator should not air his views in a humorous way if it could offend someone.” “The commentators’ main job is to describe the happenings in the match and analyse the technical side of the game — how the batsman was out, how the shot was played or how the wicket is behaving. Comparing one player’s game with that of another is acceptable but Sehwag should have refrained from calling Kohli chamiya,” Sushil said.
These will be guidelines Doshi himself will follow when he will be on Doordarshan during the first ODI and the first T-20I against England.
SHOBHAA DE TWEETED, "VIRENDER SEHWAG … A GENTLEMAN??? WHAT AN OFFENSIVE REMARK. INSULTING A COMMUNITY, NOT JUST
@IMVKOHLI . DOESN’T DESERVE TO BE IN THAT
COMMENTARY BOX. @VIRENDERSEHWAG
WHAT SEHWAG SAID MUST BE TAKEN IN
A LIGHTER VEIN. HE SHOULD BE CAUTIONED ABOUT THE NEED TO MAINTAIN A DEGREE OF DECENCY IN HIS COMMENTS. WE AS A NATION ARE VERY EMOTIONAL AND NOT GIVEN TO MODERATION. LET US BE MATURE IN PASSING JUDGEMENT. CAUTION WOULD MEET THE END OF JUSTICE.
THE COMMENTATORS’ MAIN JOB IS TO DESCRIBE THE HAPPENINGS IN THE MATCH AND ANALYSE THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF THE GAME — HOW THE BATSMAN WAS OUT, HOW THE SHOT WAS PLAYED OR HOW THE WICKET IS BEHAVING. COMPARING ONE PLAYER’S GAME WITH THAT OF ANOTHER IS ACCEPTABLE BUT SEHWAG SHOULD HAVE REFRAINED FROM CALLING KOHLI CHAMIYA.
— FORMER ENGLAND CRICKET CAPTAIN NASSER HUSSAIN